They only put a nickel in, but they want a dollar song.

[Excalibur]

Thank you Ms Safka.*

Partly inspired by this:



I have been asked to do cheap discos before.
Then when I turn up I get asked why I don't have a stage full of lights !
If its cheap then cuts have to be made somewhere.

Now I know there are many facets to this, and having lots of lights probably isn't the best way of achieving high paying gigs, but I think there's a lot of mileage in the quote above. How many of us having taken on a low paying gig ( for whatever reason ) still put out the full roadshow?

* Google Nickel Song- Melanie.

[ukpartydj]

As a rule I will maybe only use 2 uplights instead of 4 and only 2 moving heads instead or 4.
I tend to put out a pretty similar show and not bother so much with the "extra touches" like making request pages online.

Reasons being:
A) It's easier to setup my normal equipment.
B) I want the people there to see me at my best (within reason) to generate more bookings.

A year ago I was quite tight on money and was doing all the cheap short notice gigs I could and didn't really provide much less.

[Benny Smyth]

How many of us having taken on a low paying gig ( for whatever reason ) still put out the full roadshow?.

On the flip side, how many have taken full paying gigs only to find that there's enough space for a t-bar with a couple of lights on it? I should imagine that there is a 'swings and roundabouts' view on this.

[Excalibur]

On the flip side, how many have taken full paying gigs only to find that there's enough space for a t-bar with a couple of lights on it? I should imagine that there is a 'swings and roundabouts' view on this.

I had one before Christmas, and I'd have killed to get that much room! :D Still a full price gig though. Happy customer also, so job done.

[funkymook]

On the flip side, how many have taken full paying gigs only to find that there's enough space for a t-bar with a couple of lights on it? I should imagine that there is a 'swings and roundabouts' view on this.


I had one before Christmas, and I'd have killed to get that much room! :D Still a full price gig though. Happy customer also, so job done.

That comes under using the appropriate tools for the job, which is another part of our skill set. Sometimes less is a lot more.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

If the fee is such that you're considering reducing the light show then I would just say don't bother.

i only discount for multiple services booked or for dates that nobody else will want (Monday's in January for example) so I'm happy with the fee and also going to do the job to the best of my ability.

[Imagine]

I want the people there to see me at my best (within reason) to generate more bookings.

I used to work like that but then found that they expected to pay the same price as the one I'd just done on the cheap with the full on light show....so I don't now.

I used to do all weddings with a rather posh rig (aluminium trusses, Wizards etc.). I now offer two packages on those. The cheap one is my normal Saturday night set up - very quick to get in and out and get the job done, and if they want to pay the proper price they get the nice looking one.

[funkymook]

I used to work like that but then found that they expected to pay the same price as the one I'd just done on the cheap with the full on light show....so I don't now.

I used to do all weddings with a rather posh rig (aluminium trusses, Wizards etc.). I now offer two packages on those. The cheap one is my normal Saturday night set up - very quick to get in and out and get the job done, and if they want to pay the proper price they get the nice looking one.

Why offer a lower price and a lesser rig for weddings which are usually booked months in advance?

Don’t you ever get enquiries for the same date as you’ve committed to with the cheap package that would’ve paid the ‘proper’ price?

What if everyone wants to book the cheap package? Doesn’t that then become your normal fee? May as well go out with the nice rig if you’re happy to accept the lower rate if the clients ask for it.

It just seems to be diluting your income on the whim of the client.

I’m the same fee whatever equipment I use or don’t use.

[Shaun]

I’m the same fee whatever equipment I use or don’t use.

Amen Brother!

[rth_discos]

I only do "cheap" gigs when it's last minute (within the next month or so) and it fills a date that otherwise would be empty.

These tend to be birthdays, rather than weddings, so whilst I'll still take the full rig, there's a lot less planning involved (no meetings at all), hence why I'm happy taking on a lower rate.

[funkymook]

I only do "cheap" gigs when it's last minute (within the next month or so) and it fills a date that otherwise would be empty.

These tend to be birthdays, rather than weddings, so whilst I'll still take the full rig, there's a lot less planning involved (no meetings at all), hence why I'm happy taking on a lower rate.

That’s fair enough, it’s a date you know you have very little chance of filling, I’m sure we all consider our pricing options in that scenario. It’s giving the choice of a cheaper package when there’s still plenty of time for other enquiries to come in I don’t understand.

[rth_discos]

That’s fair enough, it’s a date you know you have very little chance of filling, I’m sure we all consider our pricing options in that scenario. It’s giving the choice of a cheaper package when there’s still plenty of time for other enquiries to come in I don’t understand.

Totally agree - the setup is such a small part of what I do, that I wouldn't want to drop money just to save a couple of minutes setting up.

And most clients are going to want to go for the cheaper rig - after all, if you offer it, then it must be fine.

You've got a much harder sell to get them spend more money on a few lights (which the majority of clients don't buy in to).

[CRAZY K]

Thank you Ms Safka.*

Partly inspired by this:



Now I know there are many facets to this, and having lots of lights probably isn't the best way of achieving high paying gigs, but I think there's a lot of mileage in the quote above. How many of us having taken on a low paying gig ( for whatever reason ) still put out the full roadshow?

* Google Nickel Song- Melanie.

What happened to the old Gold, Silver and Platinum Packages?

We simply state the three packages in my Country Show--

PACKAGE ONE Barn and Line Dance no lighting or flags

PACKAGE TWO Barn Line Dance and Country Disco with Lighting and Flags

PACKAGE THREE The above plus Your Choice Party Disco with Disco Lighting.

Each is priced to reflect their relative value, the amount and value of equipment supplied including maintenance repairs and testing, time taken to erect and dismantle and time spent preparing for the event which varies.

Possibly paying for extra muscle as well on big events.

Because these options are shown clearly to the customer they know what they are and are not getting.

Often a fixed budget is stated and we fit a package to that.

So no one can complain they are getting shortchanged.

My cheaper quotes emphasise the benefits NOT being INCLUDED so nobody gets disappointed.:D

i guess if you take phone bookings without qualifying whether you will supply a nickle or dollar set up then you may experience problems.

Sure they phone up all day here wanting something for nothing, have done for decades, but as long as you make things clear in a polite professional way I dont see a problem.

Sadly the latest problem is rather more complicated---they have spent all our money on other things for the event--so can they have the dollar show for a nickel ---nope :daft::daft::daft:

[ppentertainments]

I have a theory which seems to ring true - the cheaper the gig the MORE lights they expect :D

[ukpartydj]

I have a theory which seems to ring true - the cheaper the gig the MORE lights they expect :D

I have also experienced this little quirk. Most annoying to hear comments like "is that all of the lights?" when you've got 4 up lighters, couple of par cans, 4 moving heads... Maybe they think it's better value for into have a seperate strobe, uv cannon and par can instead of having it all in 1

[Excalibur]

I’m the same fee whatever equipment I use or don’t use.


Amen Brother!
Gentlemen, with all due respect, and with the considerable deference befitting two well respected and experienced Professionals:
Cobblers.

They still get me, they still get the same quality of music and performance, but they sure as hell ain't getting three lasers, two barrels and twelve uplighters for £100.

Now, the other side of the argument, am I providing value for money. Oh yes. Is the kit used suitable for the venue and the event? Again, yes. John and I did a gig in a hotel with awful access, and as little kit as we could get away with. We had way more than enough volume in two cabs, and four tripars provided a light show which was again more than adequate. They weren't shortchanged.




I have a theory which seems to ring true - the cheaper the gig the MORE lights they expect :D
You've been working in Yorkshire too much. :)

In all seriousness, you may well have a point. For those not well versed in our art, perhaps quality and value are reflected in the kit, and the lightshow. I have heard a publican using similar logic.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

One of the things I learnt ages ago on here, sod the packages! Bronze,silver and gold? What we doing putting our estate through the automatic car wash?

People are paying for you and your time, the equipment and lights are just very basic tools which don't impact on the success of the evening ;)

[Excalibur]

People are paying for you and your time, the equipment and lights are just very basic tools which don't impact on the success of the evening ;)

For don't, read shouldn't, and I agree Neil. As we've said many times before, as long as the kit is suitable for the job in hand, no problem. I'll be leaving the bells and whistles in the van though on many low paying gigs.

[Imagine]

For don't, read shouldn't, and I agree Neil. As we've said many times before, as long as the kit is suitable for the job in hand, no problem. I'll be leaving the bells and whistles in the van though on many low paying gigs.

^^^^ I agree with him :)
Except in my case, they don't even make it into the van in the first place.

And as for Bronze, Silver and Gold....I've just started doing those for weddings on the web site, with clear pictures to show the difference between Bronze and Silver (Gold is silver but all day). There's a whole topic on this one alone, with the psychology being that people won't want to look/feel tight and go for the lowest price option when presented with several different things. So far at least, it seems to work for me :)

[CRAZY K]

For don't, read shouldn't, and I agree Neil. As we've said many times before, as long as the kit is suitable for the job in hand, no problem. I'll be leaving the bells and whistles in the van though on many low paying gigs.

GOLD, SILVER AND PLATINUM deals live on in Yorkshire as well as Northamptonshire.:rolleyes:

[Nakatomi]

Gentlemen, with all due respect, and with the considerable deference befitting two well respected and experienced Professionals:
Cobblers.

They still get me, they still get the same quality of music and performance, but they sure as hell ain't getting three lasers, two barrels and twelve uplighters for £100.

Now, the other side of the argument, am I providing value for money. Oh yes. Is the kit used suitable for the venue and the event? Again, yes. John and I did a gig in a hotel with awful access, and as little kit as we could get away with. We had way more than enough volume in two cabs, and four tripars provided a light show which was again more than adequate. They weren't shortchanged.




You've been working in Yorkshire too much. :)

In all seriousness, you may well have a point. For those not well versed in our art, perhaps quality and value are reflected in the kit, and the lightshow. I have heard a publican using similar logic.

Haven't we all seen the pictures & videos of low budget discos with trusses full of lights going bat :Censored: crazy all to themselves? Then there's the £500 a night guy with a starlit booth & a Wizard on a stick. Hmmm...

[Imagine]

Haven't we all seen the pictures & videos of low budget discos with trusses full of lights going bat :Censored: crazy all to themselves? Then there's the £500 a night guy with a starlit booth & a Wizard on a stick. Hmmm...

Oi! I do Wizards on sticks for more money! :rolleyes:

I'm prepared to be shot down in flames here, but one well programmed Wizard (bearing in mind they use 250w discharge bulbs and not 10w LEDS) can do one heck of a lot more than a whole truss of flashing Derby's and moonflowers ;)

[Nakatomi]

People looking at the number of fixtures a DJ brings with them are misguided. That was supposed to be my point :) "Uh, but you've only got TWO lights. Dave from down the road only charges £50 & he's got loads of lights". Been there a couple of times myself - not since I started up again though.

[Excalibur]

People looking at the number of fixtures a DJ brings with them are misguided. That was supposed to be my point :) "Uh, but you've only got TWO lights. Dave from down the road only charges £50 & he's got loads of lights". Been there a couple of times myself - not since I started up again though.

Back to our old friends Perception and Education. I'll leave you to it, me and my mate Sisyphus are just off to roll this rock. ;)

[DeckstarDeluxe]

People looking at the number of fixtures a DJ brings with them are misguided. That was supposed to be my point :) "Uh, but you've only got TWO lights. Dave from down the road only charges £50 & he's got loads of lights". Been there a couple of times myself - not since I started up again though.

Never ever had that said to me and I've gone with two par cans on sticks at some gigs (usually two EFX600s and last year two impact flowers or LED spherions in the past five years.

[Nakatomi]

Never ever had that said to me and I've gone with two par cans on sticks at some gigs (usually two EFX600s and last year two impact flowers or LED spherions in the past five years.

I hope you never meet anybody like that because .. well.. they're generally not the kind of people you want to be working for.